VERMIOLGGY. 



the larger spines of the other species. Hence the Echini furnished 

 with moveable spines of a moderate size are distinguished for their 

 greater power of activity ; those with spines of an inferior size are 

 more quiescent, and this is precisely accurate with regard to those 

 fragile beings, the Placenta-formed Echini. With this exception, the 

 manners of life are in all the same ; the latter lie more dormant or 

 secrete in their marine abodes among the weeds, tang, and corals, 

 or other bodies at the bottom of the waters, because they are less 

 , capable of exertion or of resistance when annoyed by enemies, but 

 like the other kinds they prey also upon all the minor tribes of marine 

 creatures, and their mouth being armed with teeth of sufficient 

 strength to crush and destroy the testaceous coverings of the smaller 

 kinds of shell- protected animals, they prove far more formidable to 

 that class of beings than might be generally imagined. 



The species now before us, the Echinus biforis of authors, is 

 distinguished by having two singular apertures or perforations of an 

 elongated oblong form entirely through the body, and being there- 

 fore equally conspicuous in the upper as in the lower surface. The 

 dried specimens vary much in colour, being sometimes ashen grey, 

 tinged in parts with ochraceous, sometimes flushed with purple, and 

 occasionally being of a fine purplish red colour. 



It seems remarkable, that although this species is described by 

 several authors, its habitat is not mentioned by any one of them. 

 We have understood that several of the species are from the Indian 

 seas, and that the species E. Biforis is one among their number. 



